Don't go
by LeopardHeart104
Summary: Ivor's been sent to go and find the 'imposter' Jesse, but he has to go alone. Harper isn't too happy about that. (Harpvor)


"It's not him."

"You sure?"

"Positive."

Ivor stood in what was left of the new order of the stones hall with Harper standing next to him. Most of the items that once stood proudly in their places were gone, the five short podiums and the treasures that they had held, the blue glowing flint and steel, the Eversource Crown, the White Pumpkin Mask, the Redstone Heart, and the Atlas were all gone, along with the other small treasures that had been placed in front of the area where the several sets of armor were held, which were gone as well (most of them being the ones made by Ivor himself, making there disappearance a little bit more personal for him). Jesse had told him that he was moving them somewhere else for "safekeeping" until the terminal, or whatever he called it, was finished. When Ivor asked him what this "terminal" was, but Jesse didn't tell him anything other than that it was the order's new and improved hall. Even the original memorial for Reuben was gone from its place, which Ivor thought would be a much more personal punch for Jesse, if he came back.

Though, if Ivor had to be honest with himself, he wasn't even sure if Jesse was even the real Jesse at this point. He looked like Jesse, sounded like Jesse… Physically, he was the way he had always been (minus the fact he could now fly, disappear and reappear anywhere he pleased, make _other _things disappear and reappear, along with making them hover and move to any place, and who knows what else).

But, mentally, it seemed as though something had changed. There seemed to be a bit of an accent to his tone, which was a bit strange, but not too suspicious. But, he also seemed a bit more… assertive than he had been before Ivor came back from his time with Harper in the Portal Network. It seemed like he was able to care more about when other people defied him or decided to anger him, because Ivor noticed that whenever someone did, Ivor hadn't seen them again since. It sent a small, fearful chill down Ivor's spine.

Ivor forced himself from out of his thoughts and turned back to Harper who was standing quietly beside him, "Have you ever seen him do anything like this?"

Harper wordless shook her head. "But… He looks and sounds just like him…" She trailed off with a sigh, crossing her arms, anxiety clear on her face.

Ivor hesitates, before speaking again. "I have a small theory… Do you think this might have something to do with that… Admin?" Ivor hadn't had time to think about it much, but it also didn't seem as though he needed to. The puzzle pieces of Jesse's strange change of character fit into place when Ivor thought about the story he told about his battle with the "Admin."

Harper looked at him, a glint of surprise in her eyes, "That... thing that Jesse fought?"

"Yes. If this Admin is as powerful as Jesse says, then there's a chance that after they fought… The Admin could have survived and done something to the real Jesse. Or maybe even…" Ivor trailed off, not wanting to think about the alternative of what might have happened to his so- friend.

Harpers mouth hung open a bit at what Ivor seemed to be implying, raising a hand to cover her mouth. After a moment she lowered her hand again and nodded slightly, her bottom lip between her teeth, seeming to be deep in thought, "That's true… Do you really think that's the case?"

"It's possible," Ivor sighed, "but I'm willing to believe anything other than what's happening now at this point."

Silence passed between between the two for a few moments, before Harper spoke up again, "... So, what are we going to do now?"

"Well… 'Jesse' has asked me to use this," Ivor pulled out the Original Orders Amulet, "to find a fake Jesse that's supposedly 'pretending to be him'."

"Well, I guess that fuels your theory," Harper remarked grimly.

"I suppose it does."

"So, when are we leav-"

"Harper, I'm going alone."

Harper stares at him, shock and confusion slowly seeping into her eyes and face, "What?"

"You heard 'Jesse'," Ivor's face darkened as he spoke, not liking the idea and more than Harper seemed to. While they were out on their adventures together, there were rarely times when the two of them were ever apart. It seemed painful to leave her now, especially with his suspicions of 'Jesse' in mind, "He asked me specifically, so I don't think it's a very good idea for you to come along. I just don't think it would be a good idea to provoke him at the moment, and-"

"Nope, nu-uh," Harper suddenly grabbed Ivor by the shoulders as soon as he finished speaking and pulled him forward so that their faces were only inches apart from each other, "there's no way you're going without me."

Ivor blinked a few times in surprise and shock at her firm protest, his dark blue eyes staring back into her brown ones, "Harper-"

"_No,_" Harper cut him off, her fingers gripping his shoulders tighter, "I said it once, I'm gonna say it again. There is no way in _hell _that I'm letting you go wherever this… this… 'Jesse' _poser_ is sending you!"

Ivor stared back wordlessly at her, not knowing what to say. He was completely shocked by her sudden protest as well as the fiery passion that burned in her eyes. Ivor opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to think of something, _anything _to respond. When he didn't, Harper's moved from his shoulders to the sides of his face, pulling his face even closer to hers so that they're noses were just a centimeter away from touching.

"Ivor, _please_ don't do this. If this Jesse really is just the Admin, then who knows where he could be sending you? The only thing I know for sure is that it's not gonna be pretty. And if that's the case, then I don't want you putting yourself in that kind of danger, not without me, at least. What am I supposed to do here while you're gone? Sitting here, worrying about if you've gotten yourself killed or not? I don't think so."

Ivor felt a bit of blood rush to his face at how close he and Harper were, despite the fact that they were alone at the moment, and together at this point, despite how much he denied it to anyone he talked to. "Harper…" Ivor gently raised his hands and cupped Harper's cheeks in each of them, holding her face just as she was holding his. The intense look in Harper's eyes softened a bit as Ivor took her face in his hands.

"Harper, you know that I would be saying the same thing as you if it was you instead of me," Ivor told her, leaning his head towards hers so that their foreheads pressed against each other, his eyes gazing directly into hers with soft, but intensely warm affection-filled eyes, "But both of us know that if there's a chance that the real Jesse is out there, he needs to be found."

"I know, it's just… I don't want to lose you," Tears began to well up at the corners of Harper's eyes, her eyes shut tightly as they threatened to pour, "I _need_ you, Ivor…"

Ivor slowly pulled his face away from hers and raised his hand, gently taking her chin between his thumb and index finger. He slowly lifted her face up so that her sad, chocolate eyes met his dark blue ones. After gazing into her eyes for a few moments, Ivor eyelids slowly closed as he leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. He felt her stiffen a bit at the sudden affection action, but she slowly relaxed and raised her arms to wrap around his neck tightly and kissed back, her hands lightly clutching the back of his collar. Ivor heard her began to quietly sob into the kiss, but he didn't mind. He slid his left hand down her back and pulled her against him gently, their chests pressing against each other as he moved his right hand behind her head and pulled her head close to his to deepen their kiss. After a minute of their affectionate kiss, Harper's sobs began to die down, and the two felt the need for air gripping their lungs, forcing them to pull apart from each other. They both punted lightly from their intense kiss, both of them gazing into the others eyes lovingly. As he regained his breath, Ivor spotted tear tracks staining the dark-skinned woman's face.

"I love you," Ivor whispered to her as he leaned his forehead against hers again, twinning his fingers with hers.

Harper gripped his hands back. "I love you, too," She spoke with the same softness to her voice, still sounding sorrowful as she spoke.

"And you have no idea how much I'm gonna miss you."


End file.
